Enemy, Be Scattered

Personally, I like them plain but we all know where we can go to get our hash browns ... scattered, smothered and covered. That's exactly how we prefer our enemies, right - scattered, smothered, covered! The psalmist says, "From the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease." (Psalm 8:2 NASB). While creation speaks boldly to the greatness of God, man - God's crowning work - testifies of his Creator. Jesus quoted David in Matthew 21:16, "Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise." A former pastor used to say "if you want to scatter a crowd, bring up Jesus" ... sadly, that is true. However, the greatest scattering is of the enemy when we speak of in praise and adoration The One Who rules and reigns. Just as light soundly snuffs out darkness, so does The Name of Jesus: "Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11). There's nothing magical nor mystical about Jesus' Name - only power above all other proclaimed power to the glory of The Father. What enemy is crouching at your heart's door, threatening to destroy your peace and joy and rest? God's promise is sure - in the powerful Name of Jesus ... enemy, be scattered.

Love With It All

What a sinking feeling it is to realize you've locked your keys in your car ... kept or restrained. O. S. Hawkins writes, “We are to hold nothing back when we love God.” In other words, love Him without restraint! Typically, we try to limit ourselves from spending frivolously, rather practice living frugally. Jesus’ words, “love … with all your heart … soul … strength … mind” in Luke 10:27 don’t translate into hold-back or controlling ourselves. No thought, action, behavior, activity, or effort is exempt from Christ’s command. Perhaps we are guilty of “lip service” as described in Matthew 15:8 – “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” What part of the person is missing from the heart-soul-strength-mind? Well, that covers it all – the entire person; it’s all there, no parts missing! To love with no restraint is total abandon, no considering or debating [consciously or unconsciously] whether to love or not. Love with the whole person – give that love all you've got, all the time, in all circumstances, to all people. The gears of the heart-soul-strength-mind are greased and engaged. turned by a passionate love for Almighty God! Oh my, how do we do this in this imperfect world of evil and injustice? “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). There it is - by His grace, we are able to live up to and honor the Name of Christ – – it’s how we … love without restraints … love with it all!

Declare His Glory!

As I was reading Psalm 19 recently, an old 1940's song came to mind: "If the Moon Could Talk." David said, "the heavens are telling of the glory of God; and the expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, their words to the to the end of the earth." (Verses 1-4). We do not, of course, audibly hear the heavens speak yet ... speak they do! We're told humans do not hear normal sounds in outer space, years ago NASA captured electromagnetic vibrations, which they converted into audio frequencies that can be heard by the human ear. From this scientific wonder, in his famous message "Indescribable," Pastor Louie Giglio insists creation is actively declaring praise to its Creator. I like that because it reminds me of what God said through David - "the heavens are declaring the glory of God." How utterly sad the celestial bodies are ever speaking of The Creator while we often remain silent ... dumb-struck rather than awe-struck! The one phrase I remember from that old tune is, "if the moon could talk, I wonder what the moon would say." The heavens - sun, moon, stars, galaxies - all say glory be to Him in the highest! "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 150:6 ESV). Each day and every day, with every breath ... declare His glory!

Happy Place

We often speak of a "happy place," when referring to an especially familiar spot where we find rest and relaxation. For me, such places are a quiet beach, a porch or even my desk. David writes, "I have set the LORD continually before me;because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my innermost self] rejoices; my body too will dwell [confidently] in safety." (Psalm 16:8-9 AMP). Those physical places are certainly nice and needed, however, life doesn't allow us to linger there indefinitely. Moses said, "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." (Psalm 90:1-2 NASB). There are so many things continually set before us, offering yet none proving continual happiness! So many seek that "glad heart" [of Psalm 16:9] and find it ever elusive, always out of grasp. As both David and Moses affirm - God is The Steadfast, immovable and unchanging One, the constant dwelling place. The Hebrew "dwelling place" means refuge, abode, habitation, home, retreat. David concludes Psalm 16, "In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." God, everlasting to everlasting, is our ... happy place.

Ascend

“Take a seat” – “Have a seat” – “Please be seated” – however you say it … just sit down.  Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the way of scoffers.”  Notice the downward progression ... walking, standing, sitting. It’s a description of the person who first walks in the way of sinfulness – listens to, even accepts, bad advice and counsel contrary to Scripture; the next downward move is standing with evil doers – loitering, hanging around those who are casual or passive about Godly truth; finally comes the settling in of beliefs contrary to Scripture - having become comfortable in God-less living.  Bottom line – no blessing, no happiness, no lasting peace is promised.  Perhaps today, in your life, you are walking, standing or sitting in ways that are leading to destruction.  Stop! Look! Listen! to “thus says the LORD” and begin today the ascent to true blessedness!